Oxheart

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Sink your senses into Oxheart’s rich, old-world aroma and its wonderfully meaty, rose-to-russet flesh—an heirloom beefsteak that ripens into a heart-shaped showstopper.

The fruit’s texture is luxuriously dense and juicy, with a balanced sweetness and gentle tang that shines in thick slices for classic tomato showcases. Grow Oxheart for a garden-to-table centerpiece: bold flavor, substantial bite, and a distinctly romantic silhouette that makes every harvest feel like a treasure.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 85 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Feb 28th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Jun 20th
Harvest Begins	Sep 13th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	85
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	9

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Oxheart is built like a classic beefsteak: dense, fleshy slices that won’t slump or weep aggressively, so you get clean tomato bites with that gentle tang. It shines with fats and salts—olive oil, cheese, pepper—where the fruit’s meaty structure holds its shape on hot toast or in a blistered, spoonable topping.

Best Uses

thick slice tomato platters where the flesh stays intact on the plate
warm tomato toast/garlic bread that can take a broil without turning to mush
charred-slice salsa or relish where the pieces remain juicy but not watery
quick pan-blistering for a jammy, spoonable topping

Flavor Profile

meaty, dense flesh with low gel balanced sweetness with a gentle tang old-world tomato aroma; silky juiciness rose-to-russet complexity that tastes slow-roasted even fresh

Kitchen Pairings

extra-virgin olive oil garlic fresh mozzarella balsamic vinegar black pepper crusty sourdough

Frequently Asked Questions

What pests commonly attack Solanum lycopersicum (oxheart tomato), and how can I control them at home?

Oxheart tomatoes in home gardens are often hit by hornworms and aphids. Hand-pick hornworms when you spot them and place them in soapy water; for aphids, spray the undersides of leaves with a strong jet of water, then use insecticidal soap if numbers persist. Check plants twice a week along the main stem and leaf undersides to catch infestations early.

How often should I water oxheart tomatoes during the peak growing (fruiting) stage?

During fruiting, keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—about 1 to 2 inches of water per week depending on heat and container vs. ground. Water deeply at the base so moisture reaches the root zone, and aim to avoid letting the soil dry out completely, since irregular moisture can trigger blossom-end rot and fruit cracking. In hot spells, you may need to water 2–3 times per week, but only adjust after checking the top few inches of soil.

How do I tell when oxheart tomatoes are ready to harvest?

Harvest when the fruit is fully colored for its cultivar and gives slightly to gentle pressure at the blossom end without feeling mushy. Oxheart tomatoes mature in about 85 days, so start checking around that window, especially for fruits that have reached their final size. For best flavor, pick in the morning and allow a day of ripening off the plant only if color is still incomplete.